Ask an HR Executive: Enrique Coello of Moss & Associates

In our latest Ask an HR Executive interview, we had the pleasure of speaking with Enrique Coello, CHRO of Moss & Associates. Here is what he had to say:

How did you get your start in HR?

I am originally from Venezuela. I used to stay with host families and participate in various community service projects. I went back home, and then a University in Wisconsin offered me a scholarship to study in the US. I went to school to study business and graphics/communication. The first company I worked for was an international cargo transportation company. I worked in sales, operations, and general management, and they never had formalized HR. I complained so much to the owners about not having HR that they told me to do it. So, I am an accidental HR professional. I never imagined myself ending up in a major role. I thought, “I know the business, I know the operations, and I know the people.” I was approved by leadership to go back to school and learn about HR, and I started the HR department from scratch. I was the head of HR in a department of 1, and then I started growing my team. That company was acquired, and it opened the doors for me internationally. I think it’s a passion for people and a passion for business.

Can you share with us about your current organization, your role, and how your role aligns with the company’s business objectives and mission?

As a CHRO, I ensure that our HR initiatives support our goals of building a thriving company. We often hear that talent is a company’s primary asset, which is valid for us. We deeply care about our people and ensure that every effort, initiative, and program is aligned with who we are. We have two very different business units. One is commercial construction, and the other is solar, which we call EPC: engineering, procurement, and construction of solar power plants. Those are two very different businesses; however, we are one Moss. Many of our HR efforts are about instilling one culture. Our HR department is 2 years old and didn’t exist when I joined the company. Our company is 20 years old and has been functioning for 18 years without HR. We’ve implemented several exciting initiatives. We introduced our first HRIS as a company, a new career architecture with a new salary structure, and established a new performance review process. This was all brand new to the company, so this allows our company to continue to grow and scale.

We refer to our top leadership team as the Vision Leadership Team (VLT). Initially, I emphasized to them the need for a comprehensive approach to change management, recognizing that the challenges we face extend beyond mere communication. These challenges were significant then and remain so today. I am pleased to report that we are now progressing towards establishing change management as a permanent function within our organization.

What trends are you seeing in HR right now?

We just implemented our company’s first HRIS, so there is a lot of effort to optimize the system. We are also considering what type of AI-driven analytics we can use to refine our recruitment process and improve the quality of candidates and hires. AI continues to be a major trend. Another one is workplace flexibility. As we speak with candidates all over the country, several of them are looking to work for companies that offer some hybrid approach. We are a construction company, so we have to be in the field. We also have a field-first mindset. We are all about ensuring that the team members at all of our sites are cared for. That includes being available for them when they need us. From a corporate perspective, we want to come into an office space just like our team members in the operations field have to drive to a job site. It is a way to honor the relationships that we have with them. Honoring relationships is our number one value. If you think about the solar business, we are in very remote locations. Some team members drive 2 hours to get to the job sites every day.

What roles are or will soon be demanded on your team?

Two years ago, we had ten people in HR. I call it HR, but it was a personnel department with ten coordinators managing onboarding, offboarding, paperwork, and benefits. We did have an HR manager for the solar organization. We went from 10 to 80 in two years. Each person specializes in a different aspect of HR, such as recruitment, employee engagement, talent development, total rewards, and HR business partners. Of course, we have an HRIS team.

We have three centralized HR functions: total rewards, which are compensation and benefits, and the HRIS team. We also have Talent Development, which involves leadership development, performance management, and succession planning. We decentralized the high-touch, personal aspect of HR, which includes HR Business partners, HR generalists, and recruiting. These functions are all connected to the centralized functions of HR.

As I mentioned, the HR organization as it exists today only materialized 2 years ago. We have a baby of an HR organization and are just getting situated in a place where everyone is new. We have a wonderful team and want to ensure everyone has the best possible experience with our company. As we expand, the focus is on establishing clear lanes of work and scope. I want to continue to educate the business about strategic HR. We also want to ensure that the programs we’ve been implementing are mature. We want to do so much for the company, but the company can only digest so much at a time.

In terms of the company’s needs, I see a need for upskilling our HRIS team and considering the resources we need from the HRIS perspective.

What is your team’s biggest challenge today, and how are you addressing it?

I mentioned ensuring that our HR services adapt to each business unit’s growth plan. Solar is growing exponentially. The construction management side of the business is growing steadily and is focused on maintaining regional relationships. Solar is a national commodity business. I have centralized all aspects of HR and tried to provide the same service nationwide. It doesn’t work that way. We have one area of the company saying that we need more HR and another saying that there is too much HR. So, learning to adapt to different needs is essential, and remaining flexible when setting up our HR business support enhances how responsive we are to the organization’s different areas. We just introduced HR Pods, which is a team of three. It has an HR business partner, an HR generalist, and a recruiter, and they are embedded within the commercial construction regions, saying that is all they need. In solar, we have a more robust suite of HR services from a Senior Vice President of HR, a team of HR business partners, a talent acquisition team, an onboarding team, and training and development. Then, we have some functions that are in the middle. So, how do we support all business areas and instill a consistent employee experience? This isn’t easy since there is one area in which the company is getting more attention from a human capital perspective.

When you add talent to your team, what does that look like? Who else is involved?

We are currently realizing the capabilities of utilizing a robust applicant tracking system. We have teams of talent acquisition professionals for both hourly and salary, especially in the solar organization. We just introduced a new career architecture, and we plan on defining the right skills and competencies for every job in the organization to establish clear career paths. Hence, our team members know exactly where they are as the company grows. In solar, the talent acquisition function is far more developed than it is on the CM side, but it is also done by design. The relationship we create with companies like Landrum Talent Solutions is very personal. In a way, those recruiters have to establish different organizational relationships because there is nothing enjoyable about transactional relationships.

What do you want to accomplish in the next few years, whether personal or professional?

My professional goal is to continue solidifying our HR infrastructure to support the rapid growth of the business. I want to create a comprehensive cadence of events with the HR team, whether in town halls, HR summits, or establishing clear career paths for HR professionals.

I don’t consider myself “techy,” but now that I have an entire HRIS team reporting to me, I want to learn more about the technical aspects of HR. I think that will only help my team.

I am focusing on building a fulfilling life with my partner and embracing new adventures together. We have a couple of amazing trips planned together next year. We will visit Iceland for the first time, maybe Asia and Europe.

What would have been your dream job if you hadn’t been in your role today?

I would travel the world and participate in community service projects and initiatives. I would look for ways to give back and pay forward, especially to unprivileged young professionals. I would find ways to inspire them and keep them learning. I do have a passion for traveling and getting closer to society. I would find new foods, as I am a foodie at heart. I would help people discover their best talent. If I could bring that all together and do it pro bono, I would feel fulfilled.